The teenager Liam Sutcliffe kicked an injury-time penalty to sink Catalan Dragons in a breathtaking finish to the Super League match at Headingley.

The French side were poised to make history with their first win at Leeds when Morgan Escaré’s 77th-minute drop-goal put them 31-30 in front, but a lack of composure brought their downfall.

They gave away possession from the restart when the ball failed to go 10 metres and, after conceding another penalty for obstruction while in possession, 19-year-old Sutcliffe – deputising for the injured Kevin Sinfield – landed the 30-metre goal for a 32-31 victory.

It was a fortuitous win for the Rhinos but a fitting way for Jamie Peacock to mark his 400th Super League appearance as he stood in as captain in the absence of Sinfield, who missed only his second match of the season with a back injury.

Catalan, who had lost on all nine previous visits to Headingley, were inspired by the full-back Escaré and the Australian scrum-half Sam Williams, who created two tries and kicked five goals from six attempts in an impressive first start for the club.

The Dragons got off to the best possible start with the pacy Escaré taking Leon Pryce’s pass 30 metres out to cut through the Rhinos defence and step past Ben Jones-Bishop for his 17th try of the season.

Williams converted the try and, after Leeds had hit back when the left wing Ryan Hall finished off a sweeping move in the corner to open his side’s account, added a penalty to stretch the lead to 8-4.

The Rhinos were on level terms when their full-back, Jones-Bishop, swooped on Williams’ grubber kick and sprinted 85 metres for a glorious solo try but Sutcliffe again found the conversion attempt beyond him.

The home side almost took the lead when the right wing Tom Briscoe collected Sutcliffe’s high kick before losing the ball over the line and the visitors, clearly undaunted by their dismal record at Headingley, increased their advantage to 20-8 with two tries in nine minutes.

Williams was the architect each time, slipping the ball out of the tackle to get the second-row Zeb Taia and hooker Éloi Pélissier over the line, and he maintained his 100% record with the boot.

Peacock gave his side hope when his short pass got the replacement forward Josh Walters over for a try four minutes before the break and Sutcliffe’s first goal cut the gap to six points.

When Taia brushed off three defenders to score his second try three minutes into the second half the Catalans were firmly on course to end their Headingley hoodoo - but the Rhinos struck back with two tries in nine minutes to draw level.

The centre Joel Moon produced a decisive finish out wide before the second-row Carl Ablett forced his way over from close range, planting the ball on the line despite the attentions of three defenders.

Sutcliffe kicked his second goal to make it 24-24 and the pivotal moment appeared to come on 65 minutes when a break from Escaré took his side deep into Leeds territory only for Pryce to send out a careless pass which was pounced on by Moon for his second try.

Sutcliffe’s third goal opened up a six-point gap but Danny McGuire failed with a drop-goal attempt and it was all square on 69 minutes when Pryce, making amends for his blunder, worked out a long pass for the wing Daryl Millard to go in for the Dragons’ fifth try.

Williams landed the touchline conversion to make it 30-30 and, after Williams attempted to win it with a long-range drop-goal attempt which fell short, Escaré thought he had won it with a successful strike two minutes later.